Washing machine with improved nozzle means



Jan. 16, 1968 SISLER I 3,363,648

WASHING MACHlHE 'NITXI IMPROVED NOZZLE MEANS Filed NOV. 2, 1964 INVENTOR. ROBERT R. SISLER l-HS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,363,648 WASHING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED NOZZLE MEANS Robert R. Sisler, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 408,136 Claims. (Cl. 137-592) This invention relates to clothes washing machines, and more particularly to a water inlet nozzle for use in such machines.

Automatic washing machines normally include a nozzle positioned to introduce liquid into the container means of the machine for washing and rinsing fabrics. Should the user inadvertently use an excessive amount of detergent a large body of suds will build up above the liquid in the container means. Should a portion of the suds back up through the nozzle they could contaminate the household water supply or cause the washing machine to malfunction. Some prior art machines provide water trap mechanisms to prevent such suds back-up. Such mechanisms are costly to install, complicated in operation, and do not give uniformly satisfactory service.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved water inlet nozzle.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a nozzle which prevents suds back-up.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a nozzle which is inexpensive to install and provides sure operation.

In one aspect of my invention I provide a washing machine including a container means to receive liquid and fabrics to be washed in the liquid and liquid supply means to supply liquid to the container means, including a nozzle to introduce the liquid into the container means. The inner wall of the nozzle is provided with an irregular portion which prevents suds from backing up through the nozzle.

The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. My invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

FIGURE 1 is a partial schematic front elevational view of a clothes washing machine including one embodiment of my improved nozzle, the view being partly broken away and partly in section to illustrate details;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevational view of the nozzle of FIGURE 1, the view being sectionalized to illustrate details;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating another embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating still another embodiment of my invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating a further embodiment of my invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, there is shown therein, in schematic form, an agitator type washing machine generally indicated by the numeral 1. Machine 1 includes a clothes basket 2 having perforations 3 over the side and bottom walls thereof and disposed within an outer imperforate tub or casing 4, basket 2 and tub 4 forming together liquid and clothes container means. The entire structure is normally mounted within a suitable appearance and protective cabinet which, in this case, has been omitted for the purpose of clarity. Normally a resilient gasket (not shown) is provided between the upper edge of tub 4 and the appearance cabinet to 3,363,648 Patented Jan. 16, I968 prevent moisture from escaping into the space between the tub and cabinet.

In the center of basket 2 there is provided a vertical axis agitator 5 which includes a centerpost 6 and a plurality of curved vanes 7 extending out from the centerpost and connected together at their base by a flared skirt 8. Both basket 2 and agitator 5 are movably mounted. Conventionally, the basket is mounted for rotation and the agitator is mounted for some type of oscillatory motion which will effect washing action on the clothes in the basket. In one conventional structure basket 2 may be secured to a hollow shaft member 10 and the agitator 5 may be secured to a shaft 11 which extends vertically upwardly within shaft 10 in rotatable relation thereto.

Basket 2 and agitator 5 are driven from a reversible motor 12 through a drive including a clutch 13 mounted on the motor shaft. Clutch 13 allows the motor to start without load and then pick up load as it comes up to speed. A suitable belt 14 transmits power to a transmission assembly 15 through a pulley 16. Thus, depending upon the direction of motor rotation, pulley 16 of transmission 15 is driven in opposite directions.

Transmission .15 is so arranged that it supports and drives both of shafts 10 and 11. When motor 12 is rotated in one direction the transmission causes agitator 5 to be oscillated through shaft 11. Conversely, when the motor is driven in the opposite direction, the transmission drives both basket 2 and agitator 5 together at a high speed through shafts 1t) and 11 for centrifugal extraction of liquid from the clothes. While the particular form of drive means does not form part of the present invention, reference is made to Patent 2,844,225, issued on July 22, 1958, to James R. Hubbard et al., and owned by the General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention. That patent discloses in detail the structural characteristics of a transmission suitable for use in the illustrated machine.

The upper end of transmission 15 is received in an opening 15a in the lower portion of tub 4. Opening 15a is closed by a flexible boot 1512 which extends between transmission 15 and tub 4 so as to allow relative motion therebetween while preventing passage of liquid through opening 150.

In addition to operating the transmission as described, motor 12 provides a direct drive through a flexible coupling 17 to a pump structure generally indicated by the numeral 18. Pump 18 has an inlet which is connected by a conduit 19 to an opening 20 formed at the lowermost point of tub 4. Pump 1% also has an outlet to a conduit 21 which leads to a suitable drain (not shown). Pump 18 is formed so that it tends to pump toward opening 20 during oscillation of the agitator but during spinning of the agitator and basket the pump unit 18 drains liquid from opening 20 through conduit 19 and discharges it through conduit 21 to drain.

In order to introduce washing and rinsing liquid into the container means, suitable conduit means 22 and 23 are provided for leading hot and cold water to a supply valve 24. The passage of hot and cold water may be controlled by solenoids 25 and 26. Energization of solenoid 25 permits the passage of cold water through the valve 24, energization of solenoid 26 permits the passage of hot water through the valve, and energization of both solenoids 25 and 26 permits mixing of hot and cold water in the valve and the passage of warm water therefrom through an outlet conduit 27, which extends from the level is reached in the container means so as to shut off the supply of Water.

Control means (not shown) are normally included for providing an automatic sequence of operations including a washing operation, a first centrifugal extraction operation, a rinsing operation, and a second centrifugal extraction operation. Although the functioning of the washing machine during the different operations may vary from machine to machine and additional operations such as a pre-wash operation and additional rinse operations may be provided, almost all automatic washing machines include the basic sequence of operations described. Normally, during the washing operation a suitable detergent or soap is introduced into the container means to effect cleaning of the fabrics. Should the user inadvertently use an excessive amount of detergent or soap, a large mass or head of suds will build up within the container means above the level of the liquid. This large mass of suds tends to cause suds to back up through the water inlet nozzle. Such a back up of suds may cause the water supply mechanism including valve 24- and valve solenoids 25 and 26 to malfunction, may damage other elements mounted between the tub and the appearance cainet, and may contaminate the household Water supply. By my new and improved inlet nozzle 28 I prevent suds from backing up through the nozzle out of tub 4.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2 there is shown therein the physical characteristics of one form of my improved nozzle. Nozzle 2 8 includes an outer wall 29 forming an inlet chamber 30 which receives water flowing from conduit 27 and an axial passage 31 terminating in an outlet opening 32 which directs the water received in chamber 30 into the container means formed by tub 4 and basket 2.

As solenoids 25 and 26 act to turn off the valve 24 and stop the supply of Water, the pressure of the Water flowing through conduit 27 is reduced and the last portion of the water emitted from the conduit is under such a small pressure that it may not be forced through passage 31. I provide inlet chamber 30 with a portion below conduit 31 having small openings or bleed holes 33 connected to the interior of tub 4 which drain the last or terminal portion of the water into the tub. These openings 33 are sufficiently small to effectively prevent suds from backing up through them.

The passage 31 and opening 32 must have a somewhat larger cross sectional area that the bleed holes 33 in order to provide for suitable filling of the tub 4. I have found that, by providing the inner surface 34 of passage 31 with an irregular portion, suds will be prevented from backing up through the nozzle 28. This irregular portion may be provided in a number of Ways. In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 the irregular portion is provided by securely mounting a tubular screen member 35 in juxtaposition to a portion of the inner surface 34. By tubular I do not mean that the screen member necessarily is circular in cross section. The passage 31 may be formed with a number of different cross sectional shapes and tubular screen member 35 should be formed with the same shape so as to be securely mounted within passage 31 adjacent wall 34.

FIGURE 3 illustrates another embodiment of my invention wherein the irregular portion is provided by means of an open-coil, helical spring 36 which is securely mounted within passage 31 against wall 34. A number of different methods may be utilized in mounting spring 36 within passage 31. However, I have found that, by utilizing a spring having a slightly larger normal outer diameter than the inner diameter of passage 31, the spring may be securely mounted within the passage merely by elongating the spring to reduce its diameter and inserting the spring within the passage, after which the spring may be released so that it will attempt to return to its normal position. The spring tension between spring 35 and wall 34 securely mounts the spring within passage 31.

FIGURE 4 shows another embodiment of my invention which is similar to FIGURE 3 except that the helical spring 37 is formed as a closed-coil spring, that is, the individual coils are closely adjacent (preferably touching) adjacent coils.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a further embodiment of my invention wherein the irregularity is imparted to a portion of wall 34 by means of a tubular sleeve 38 having an inner surface including an abrasive material. The tubular sleeve is securely received in juxtaposition to a portion of wall 34. As with the tubular screen 35, tubular sleeve 38 may be mounted within passage 31 by any suitable means. One such means would be the utilization of an epoxy resin to join the member 35 or 38 to wall 34. Many other means will be obvious to those skilled in the art and are included within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Although each of the embodiments illustrated shows the irregular portion as being formed by means of a separate member received within passage 31 it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the surface 34 could itself be formed with an integral irregular portion of various configurations.

It will be understood that, while in accordance with the Patent Statutes, I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention, and it is therefore aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a washing machine including container means to receive liquid and fabrics to be washed in the liquid and liquid supply means for selectively introducing liquid into said container means including a nozzle mounted to deliver liquid into said container means; said nozzle defining a passage for conducting liquid into said container means; the inner surface of said passage being provided with means for preventing suds developed during the washing operation from backing up through said nozzle, said last mentioned means comprising an irregular circumferential portion.

2. In a washing machine including container means to receive liquid and fabrics to be washed in the liquid and liquid supply means for selectively introducing liquid into said container means including a nozzle mounted to deliver liquid into said container means; said nozzle defining a passage for conducting liquid into said container means; a tubular screen member securely received in juxtaposition to a portion of the inner surface of said passage to prevent suds developed during the washing operation from backing up through said nozzle.

3. In a washing machine including container means to receive liquid and fabrics to be washed in the liquid and liquid supply means for selectively introducing liquid into said container means including a nozzle mounted to deliver liquid into said container means; said nozzle defining a passage for conducting liquid into said container means; an open-coil helical spring securely mounted in juxtaposition to a portion of the inner surface of said passage to prevent suds developed during the washing operation from backing up through said nozzle.

4. In a washing machine including container means to receive liquid and fabrics to be Washed in the liquid and liquid supply means for selectively introducing liquid into said container means including a nozzle mounted to deliver liquid into said container means; said nozzle defining a passage for conducting liquid into said container means; a closed-coil helical spring securely mounted in juxtaposition to a portion of the inner surface of said passage to prevent suds developed during the washing operation from backing up through said nozzle.

5. In a Washing machine including container means to receive liquid and fabrics to be Washed in the liquid and liquid supply means for selectively introducing liquid into said container means including a nozzle mounted to deliver liquid into said container means; said nozzle defining a passage for conducting liquid into said container means; a tubular sleeve securely received in juxtaposition to a portion of the inner surface of said passage, said sleeve having an inner surface including an abrasive material to prevent suds developed during the Washing operation from backing up through said nozzle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,45 l ,3 87 10/ 1948 Harvuot 13 846 2,638,112 5/1953 Shelton 137-216 2,702,460 2/ 1955 Gaugler 13840 1 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

W. R. CLINE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING CONTAINER MEANS TO RECEIVE LIQUID AND FABRICS TO BE WASHED IN THE LIQUID AND LIQUID SUPPLY MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY INTRODUCING LIQUID INTO SAID CONTAINER MEANS INCLUDING A NOZZLE MOUNTED TO DELIVER LIQUID INTO SAID CONTAINER MEANS; SAID NOZZLE DEFINING A PASSAGE FOR CONDUCTING LIQUID INTO SAID CONTAINER MEANS; 